The 9 college majors that lead to the most fulfilling careers—2 pay more than $100,000
If you want your degree to help you land a fulfilling job, consider studying music therapy.
The medical and therapeutic fields are among the college majors helping graduates get jobs that make the world a better place, according to graduates surveyed in a recent Payscale report.
Alumni with bachelor's degrees in music therapy are most likely to do this kind of fulfilling work, with 95% of degree-holders saying their work makes the world a better place, Payscale finds. Music therapy programs cover coursework in music, music therapy, science and psychology, according to the American Music Therapy Association.
"Knowledge and skills are developed through coursework and clinical training, which cover the theory and practical application of music therapy treatment procedures and techniques," the organization states on its website.
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Music therapists may work in traditional settings, offering services to clients working through physical disabilities or mental health issues. People in hospice care, substance abuse programs and cancer treatment centers have also benefited from music therapist visits, according to the AMTA.
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However, those positions often don't pay top dollar. The median income for music therapy degree-holders is just $49,400 in the first five years of working, and $64,900 with 10 or more years of experience.
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Other degrees can pay better, though. Here are the nine majors and degrees that alumni are most likely to say led to meaningful careers, according to Payscale.
1. Music therapy
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 95%
- Early career median pay: $49,400
- Midcareer median pay: $64,900
2. Cardiopulmonary science
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 92%
- Early career median pay: $58,200
- Midcareer median pay: $84,000
3. Radiation therapy
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 91%
- Early career median pay: $78,100
- Midcareer median pay: $109,500
4. Alcohol and drug studies
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 90%
- Early career median pay: $43,500
- Midcareer median pay: $59,200
5. Addictions counseling
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 89%
- Early career median pay: $45,400
- Midcareer median pay: $51,800
6. Cardiovascular technology
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 89%
- Early career median pay: $67,800
- Midcareer median pay: $77,900
7. Bachelor of science in nursing
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 88%
- Early career median pay: $74,300
- Midcareer median pay: $92,900
8. Physical therapy
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 88%
- Early career median pay: $57,500
- Midcareer median pay: $112,700
9. Applied behavior analysis
- Percent of alumni who say their work makes a positive difference: 88%
- Early career median pay: $44,700
- Midcareer median pay: $82,400
As evidenced by alumni earnings in fields such as radiation and physical therapies, you don't always have to choose between a high salary and a high sense of meaning. Workers with those degrees go on to earn median midcareer salaries above $100,000.
Graduates who hold the highest-paying bachelor's degree — petroleum engineering — earn a median of $212,100 with 10 or more years of experience, but just 60% of workers say their work makes the world a better place, Payscale finds.
Whether you'd prefer more meaning or more money in your career is up to you. For plenty of jobs, it doesn't matter what you actually majored in as long as you can demonstrate competency in the required skills.
"For the vast majority of jobs, employers don't care what you major in," Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake, a job platform for early talent and Gen Z, told CNBC Make It last year.
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